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Gnomes
Circa 730 T.E. Culture Gnomes are a race that adore animals, jokes, and treasure. As they are a dedicated people they are known to sometimes take their jokes too far, perhaps losing friends that aren’t of the patient variety. Fortunately Gnomes use their dedication for more than just jokes, applying their spirit and willpower to disciplines such as alchemy and engineering. Their dedication often leads them to be intricate in both character and career. If a Gnome is an architect, he shall build beautiful, majestic, and unique structures. If a Gnome is an engineer, he will work himself to the bone to build something that nobody has thought of before. If a Gnome is a trickster, you can bet his gags and traps will be the most insane and complicated you’ve come across. However this has led some Gnomes into madness and their greatest leaders sometimes have a tendency to have mental breakdowns. Physical Description Gnomes stand around 3 to 3 ½ feet tall. They usually weigh around 40 to 45 pounds. Their skin tones can range from pale to tan to woody brown, and their hair is of a fair variety, typically light in color. Their eyes are always green, but can be any shade of green from those of a sparkling emerald to those of the color taken by shadowy underbrush. Gnome males will typically have short and casually trimmed beards. Gnome females typically wear their hair up in spiky patterns, using gels and other tinctures to gain eccentric styles. Gnomes typically find themselves taking a fancy to intricately designed clothes, fine stitching, and armors adorned with jewels and birthstones. Gnomes usually live to be around 350 though some have lived to be nearly 500. Gnomes mature into adulthood around the age of 40 or so. Relations The Gnomes and Dwarves get along together quite well. Both of them agree on many topics politically, though their personalities make them seem an unlikely pair. The Dwarves find themselves especially baffled by the Gnomes’ short beards. The Gnomes likewise find themselves baffled by the Dwarves’ simplistic style of dress and orderly society. Gnomes and Halflings have not been on the best of terms in recent years, as Halfling activists have been attempting to demolish the slave trade of Elves in Gnomish lands. Gnomes have set up intricate traps and provisions against such things in retaliation. This has caused much of the ruckus with these troublesome groups of Halflings to shift over towards the Dwarves , which is not much better. However the Gnomes are finding it hard to make any reasonable plea towards Halfling leadership as their society is so chaotic by nature, with no true centralized government. Gnomes are also typically loathsome of the Humans for their position of world dominance. Gnomes are fairly neutral towards Orcs, though some still regard them as “lackeys of the Humans” for their hefty Human ties. Alignment Gnomes have a tendency towards neutrality and balance. Neutrality is something of an understanding in Gnomish culture that no side is truly right, not even your own. Survival and self-preservation, as well as a bit of discovery, adventure, and laughter, are all one can hope to achieve. Gnomes like to have all the facts on the table when making decisions, and despite their intricacies and jesting nature they are a people of logic. Because it is impossible to know everything about every single side of an argument Gnomes typically find there is no side to take but what is best for them as a race. Typical Member of the Six Gnomes have a tendency to worship the Oak of Susbs for its grand connection with nature. This is yet another reason Gnomes resent Humans, as they see their dominance over Solus as a potential threat towards the ancient Oak. Gnomes of the prankster variety often worship the Night Finger as they find his dubious nature rather aligned with their own. Notable Regions of Dominance High Gnome Populations (60-79%): Dippland Mid Gnome Populations (40-59%): Dippish Desert Language The Gnomish language is a popular one for engineers, alchemists, and botanists throughout the world to know. Gnomes have a tendency to write up volumes upon volumes of incredible knowledge. It is considered the language of scholars, and uses the Dwarven script. Gnomes know Common and Gnomish, and have a tendency to learn Dwarvish, Giant, Goblin, Orc, and Elvish. Gnomish masters have a tendency to learn Elvish as a way to keep their slaves from sharing secrets. Names Gnomes get a tad eccentric when it comes to names. Gnomes can’t seem to get enough of them, and tend to have at least a dozen or so names. Their father gives them a name, their mother gives them a name, their boss gives them a name, their children give them a name, and so on. Gnomish names are typically either something historical, meaningful, or complete made-up nonsense. Male names: Addyback, Bello, Dimble, Fonkin, Glint, Gluck, Jebeddo, Namfoodle. Saben, Tiddlefolk, and Zinth Female names: Beren, Daelgar, Folkor, Garrick, Nackle, Mirnin, Ninniefoot, Loopmottin, Skyber, Tildie, Tollock, Zetty Nicknames: “Alegargler”, “Beetle”, “Buglegs”, “Clocky”, “Headspinner”, “Jugglepot”, “One-Fist”, “Rootsmoker”, “Snake-Eyes”, “Sparklejewel”, “Stumbleduck”. Livelihoods Gnomes make great engineers, scribes, librarians, alchemists, herbalists, animal tamers, chefs, and anything else that may require a bit of dedication and creativity. Gnomes aren’t always the best to have working under you, as they may play a trick or two on the old boss, but they certainly are good at working through problems and doing what they love. These curious and often impulsive creatures tend to be natural adventurers on top of any other path they may choose in life. Gnomes love the life of being an illusionist, and are naturally drawn to the call of a druid. As such, when Gnomes take on these classes there is no experience penalty for dual-classing.